Royal Flying Corps
Cecil Philip George Gordon was born at Bareitty, India on 17 August 1893 and he was baptised at Nowgong, Bengal in September.
He was the first child of Sarah Jane Norah (née French) and Colonel Philip Cecil Harcourt Gordon who were living in Jersey. The couple later had two daughters, Dorothy Norah Brodie (born 1895) and Claudine Constance (born 1900).
Cecil entered Victoria College, Jersey in 1904 and remained there for three years before going to Blundell’s School in Tiverton, Devon. At the beginning of the war Cecil was in Canada. He returned immediately to join up and obtained a commission in the 4th Battalion, South Staffordshire
Regiment, training in Jersey.
His Medal Index Card indicates that he first went to France in June 1915 and he was attached to the East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) being engaged in the most part in the Ypres salient as a bombing officer. The regiment, as part of the 28th Division, went to Salonica.
He saw a great deal of fighting on the Struma front where he suffered considerably from malaria and the hardships of active service. During that time he rose from Second Lieutenant to Lieutenant before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, as a Lieutenant, on 24 March 1917: promotion to Captain followed on 30 August 1917. He was taught to fly in Egypt and in July of that year he was invalided home.
In August he married Jeanne Madeleine Alice Le Rossignol, elder daughter of Walter Aubin Le Rossignol, Judge in the High Court of India.
After recovering from his illness, Cecil was posted to the 59th Training Squadron based near Cirencester.
He was killed in an aero accident at North Cerney on 21 March 1918, flying a DH6; he was aged 24 and the Gloucester Journal and Cheltenham Chronicle of 23 April 1918 carried reports of his inquest at Cirencester. Evidently he took off at about 3.20pm and had been flying for about five minutes when onlookers saw the aircraft suddenly nosedive to the ground and burst into flames. It is believed that Captain Gordon burnt to death in the wreckage (but was likely killed on impact). It is supposed that he must have fainted in the air as a result of malaria, as he was an experienced pilot.
The Cheltenham Chronicle of 30 March reported his burial with full military honours in Cirencester Cemetery, following a procession from Cirencester Cottage Hospital, where his body had been taken following the crash. The grave is marked by a CWGC headstone.
The National Probate Register notes that Captain Cecil Gordon was serving in the South Staffordshire Regiment and lived at 29 Ossington Street, Bayswater, London. Administration of his estate was granted to his wife.
Captain Gordon’s wife Jeanne later re-married and became the wife of Captain G A McGregor, who was located at General Staff HQ, Lahore District, Punjab, India. Captain Gordon’s medals were sent to her care of this address.
Researched by Graham Adams 27 April 2014 (revised) with acknowledgement to the Victoria College Book of Remembrance, published in 1920.